INDEPENDENCE CAUCUS IS GRASS ROOTS POWER

There is no question Americans are living through a watershed period not seen since our Founding Fathers were sneaking around in some back rooms to put pen to paper and create a great Republic. Early in 2009 the dissatisfaction with politicians' arrogance, deceit and deafness began boiling over on the Internet and in the streets of our nation.

One name you may not know just yet -- but one I highly recommend -- is the Independence Caucus. This is an effort to remind citizens of our country that YOU are the government. Political representatives are just that. They are in office to represent us and do the will of the people, not cram their own ideas and corrupted desires down our throats.

Repeatedly Satire Works products have tried to remind everyone that 40 years of silence has brought us to the brink with our country. Recent revelations have actually shown that the move by "Progressives" is actually a one hundred year old agenda in America. I'll still stand by my perception that the early 70's (when the 'War on Education' began) was the modern era of the Progressive movement.

All that aside, focus right now has to be on where do we go from here.

One of the efforts I like the best about the IC is their "Candidate Vetting Survey". This is a program of 80 questions that the Caucus presents to politicians at any level. Members encourage the general public to take the survey too just to see where they actually stand in the political universe.

Is that survey "full proof" and a guarantee that a candidate is being honest with his or her answers? No. But it does weed out a lot of 'wanna-bees' and 'RINOs'. If nothing else it provides a measurable level of expectation and once elected, a politician's voting record has a black and white measure to compare to. "You said you were for this...but you did that."

This morning's 'Red State Morning Briefing' from Erick Erickson proclaims it's time to stick a fork in Florida Governor Charlie Crist's run for the U.S. Senate. According to Erick, Crist has bombed in every straw poll in his race against Marco Rubio. What seems remarkably similar to the '08 battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ("He's a nice kid, but he'll never beat us..."), Rubio has come from oblivion and fought off Crist endorsements by the (neutered) Florida State Republican Party leadership and initial support from a variety of others. The rats have deserted the Crist ship and Rubio is now the blessed one in bot

h local and national eyes.

But that takes me right back to the previous note about the vetting survey. During a Monday evening meeting I attended, two IC representatives revealed that they have personally asked Rubio to finish and submit the 80 question form his has had in hand for an extended period of time. Rubio's response has been to claim he did finish and has submitted the questionnaire. The IC reps say that they have not received anything.

Of course this raises concerns and one can easily fall prey to the classic opinion, "What is he hiding?"

In defense of anyone who does take the survey, the IC reps acknowledge that they do not expect the average politician to score a 100% rating in traditional values. Realistically, a grade of 70 to 80% is the ballpark. The group is not out to endorse anyone. Their efforts are to simply reveal the true beliefs of a candidate.

Again, we encourage citizens across the United States to stop by http://www.ourcaucus.com and use it as a powerful reference in the war to take back our nation. This is not just a 'national' war. It's a series of battles that must be fought in fox holes in every town, city and county around the country.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WATCHED THIS MOVIE?

Sure, most of you weren't even around in 1939 so unless you were lucky enough to have an older adult set you down in front of this movie, you've probably never seen it.

"Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" is an American 1939 comedy/drama film starring James Stewart and Jean Arthur, about one man's effect on American politics.

James Stewart established himself as a leading actor with this film, the one he is perhaps most identified with - and it was the fifth film he made in 1939. He was again teamed with his co-star Jean Arthur (in the role of a cynical secretary) from the previous year's Best Picture winner, Capra's You Can't Take It With You (1938). Stewart's character represents the powerful forces of American freedom, democracy and morality over oppression and evil in his emotional portrait of a naive, idealist, patriotic young politician who, after being sent to Washington (a symbol of liberty and democracy) as a junior senator from an un-named state, matures in wisdom, fights political corruption within his state's political machine, and guards American values as a moral hero.

The film is enhanced by a travelogue-montage of tourist sights in the nation's capital, and Dimitri Tiomkin's medly of flag-waving Americana songs ("Yankee Doodle," "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "Red River Valley," and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"). Production work included reconstructing a perfect replica of the Senate chamber, and the film was faithful to how American democracy works (i.e., how a bill becomes a law, political machines, filibustering, etc.).

The wonderfully-acted, absorbing and human film was popular at the box-office and critically successful too. However, the film caused some controversy and pressure was brought to bear to hinder its release (two months after the outbreak of WWII in Europe), due to the fact that Capra's film was propagandistic, depicted political corruption, and appeared to paint an anti-democratic picture of the US government and its inner workings. But the film also called for faith in traditional American values of patriotism and faith in the people, and provided an educational lesson in how bills are passed through Congress.

Capra's film received eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (James Stewart), Best Supporting Actor (Harry Carey and Claude Rains), Best Score (Dimitri Tiomkin), Best Sound Recording (John Livadary), Best Film Editing, Best Interior Direction (Lionel Banks), Best Screenplay (Sidney Buchman), and Best Original Story.

http://www.filmsite.org/mrsm.html